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Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Wed Mar 20, 2013 5:03 pm

I just got home from seeing Bruce's 2nd Show at the 17,400 capacity 'allphones arena' I would rate the show- as a 'show' 8/10 and here's why.... Bruce performed for approx 3 hours and ten minutes from 7.45pm-10.55pm. The sound lost him one point out of 10 because it was just loud and super EXCESSIVE-like the Bass had been turned up to maximum.It did improve during the show but i didn't like the bad sound at all for the first hour Bruce was 'unbelievable' hit after hit song + many requests taken as songs on paper from the audience-The saxophonist was superb and indeed a tribute to dead band members was given before his closing medley.The last 2 hours of the show was quite different many, MANY songs has unbelievably lengthy endings- like he didn't know when yo end a song?-whilst this was 'ok' once or twice on every song it kind of bored me-so he lost another point for that. However when you perform as long as he did i guess you need some kind of a way to mix band solos and stuff to last that long. He twice got right into the audience just as good as Elvis during 'love me tender' in 1970!~, jumped up on the piano , kept throwing his guitar behind him and played the mouth organ at least twice too. he covered the stage all he could, but a lot of the songs in the last 2 hours weren't really my kind of songs.A guy next to me spent most of the concert imitating Bruce just to impress his girlfriend (who was lapping it up) but it didn't impress me!~ a Guy behind me said Bruce only performed from 7.30-10.20pm on monday night and it was rumoured he had a cold. Wednesday he sounded 'fine'. he even mentioned 'another superb show coming up on Friday' -if you want to get tickets. The wednesday show wasn't a 'sell out' i estimate a 95% capacity crowd and i could easily see the empty seats.A little kid got to sing on stage with Bruce and later on a Woman dancing with him!~ Good show, but NOT a 'superb show' still at his age their is no-one else who can perform as long or as Energetically. HE IS in a class of his own.

Last edited by YDKM on Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Bruce Springstein in Sydney!~

Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:01 pm

Its odd that you rate the show as "good" but not superb - and yet looking back through your comments on Elvis shows of, say, 1975, you have also referred to them in the same way. This isn't a criticism, but it does show how our understanding of Elvis being good on stage and another artist being good are completely different. In 1975, Elvis was on stage for 60-70 minutes, coasted through his hits and spent maybe five minutes of that time introducing the band. And those shows are, for the most part, enjoyable - I'm not denying that. But how can that be classed as "good" when a man twenty years older is putting on an energetic show for over three hours and also classed as "good?" The guy behind you said he ONLY performed for 170 minutes the night before! Yes, bars have been raised regarding live shows over the years, but still it's a good example of how the bar when we talk about Elvis is far lower than when we talk about other people.

Re: Bruce Springstein in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 1:15 am

You been to see him but you dont know how to spell his name S-P-R-I-N-G-S-T-E-E-N

Re: Bruce Springstein in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:36 am

houndog wrote:You been to see him but you dont know how to spell his name S-P-R-I-N-G-S-T-E-E-N

Big Deal

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:37 am

YDKM wrote::D I just got home from seeing Bruce's 2nd Show at the 17,400 capacity 'allphones arena' I would rate the show- as a 'show' 8/10 and here's why.... Bruce performed for approx 3 hours and ten minutes from 7.45pm-10.55pm. The sound lost him one point out of 10 because it was just loud and super EXCESSIVE-like the Bass had been turned up to maximum.It did improve during the show but i didn't like the bad sound at all for the first hour Bruce was 'unbelievable' hit after hit song + many requests taken as songs on paper from the audience-The saxophonist was superb and indeed a tribute to dead band members was given before his closing medley.The last 2 hours of the show was quite different many, MANY songs has unbelievably lengthy endings- like he didn't know when yo end a song?-whilst this was 'ok' once or twice on every song it kind of bored me-so he lost another point for that. However when you perform as long as he did i guess you need some kind of a way to mix band solos and stuff to last that long. He twice got right into the audience just as good as Elvis during 'love me tender' in 1970!~, jumped up on the piano , kept throwing his guitar behind him and played the mouth organ at least twice too. he covered the stage all he could, but a lot of the songs in the last 2 hours weren't really my kind of songs.A guy next to me spent most of the concert imitating Bruce just to impress his girlfriend (who was lapping it up) but it didn't impress me!~ a Guy behind me said Bruce only performed from 7.30-10.20pm on monday night and it was rumoured he had a cold. Wednesday he sounded 'fine'. he even mentioned 'another superb show coming up on Friday' -if you want to get tickets. The wednesday show wasn't a 'sell out' i estimate a 95% capacity crowd and i could easily see the empty seats.A little kid got to sing on stage with Bruce and later on a Woman dancing with him!~ Good show, but NOT a 'superb show' still at his age their is no-one else who can perform as long or as Energetically. HE IS in a class of his own.

Thanks. Great post to read.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:42 am

Its quite likely that the sound was so unbalanced deliberately to make anyone recording the show get a lousy recording!(i mean the back of the tickets say NO RECORDING/PHOTOS ETC- yet EVERYONE took at the very least distant photos and close up people some 'great' close up ones!)~VERY easy for the sound guy's to recording an entirely different mix than the audience heard!~Also their were 3 camera video feeds onto the big screens which would have made exciting footage in his Archives!~plenty of $30 programs and T shirts available.2 super 'highlights' i WILL mention here:- 'getting right into a crowd walk whilst singing'- 'when i'm out on the street'-superb and an excellent version of the Patty Smith song 'Because the night'..... many, MANY more highlights too. Especially interesting was a newspaper photographer about 2m away from me....he did 100% EXACTLY what 90% of the newspaper reviewers in Elvis's time did. He was about 70m away from the stage and using a 'monopod' and extremely long lens!~in other words stay for FIRST 3 songs ONLY then leave!~ That's why 3 newspapers reported nothing out of the ordinary for Elvis's Baltimore 29th May 77' show because THEY LEFT SO EARLY ON!~.i especially went to the 2nd show (foolishly thinking) that any sound problems would have been straightened out by his 2nd show in the same place-WRONG!~ Also the seat i had was extremely expensive nearly A$200 and 60m away!~ same show in London,England i could see for HALF the price making Sydney,Australia one of THE most expensive city's in the world for most things!~!~Soon i am seeing quite a few rock shows in England and paying just 20 pounds/ticket. VAST difference from 'rip off' Sydney!~Yes it was a good show, but a bit overblown/lengthy at times after a VERY 'concise start' still that's what the audience wanted and they GOT!~

Last edited by YDKM on Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:28 am, edited 3 times in total.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:46 am

YDKM wrote:Its quite likely that the sound was so unbalanced deliberately to make anyone recording the show get a lousy recording!~VERY easy for the sound guy's to recording an entirely different mix than the audience heard!~Also their were 3 camera video feeds onto the big screens which would have made exciting footage in his Archives!~i especially went to the 2nd show (foolishly thinking) that any sound problems would have been straightened out by his 2nd show in the same place-WRONG!~ Also the seat i had was extremely expensive nearly A$200 and 60m away!~ same show in London,England i could see for HALF the price making Sydney,Australia one of THE most expensive city's in the world for most things!~!~Yes it was a good show, but a bit overblown/lengthy at times after a VERY 'concise start' still that's what the audience wanted and they GOT!~

Sign of the times, isn't it ? I would have loved to see Robert Plant here in Adelaide (27 March) but after seeing the costs....

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:35 am

set list from one of the Bruce forum's:-Setlist

Soundcheck:

Last To DieDevils And DustJunglelandConcert:

1. Devils & Dust (solo acoustic)2. LAST TO DIE*3. The Ties That Bind4. Darkness On The Edge of Town5. Wrecking Ball6. Death To My Hometown7. Out In The Street8. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?9. The Promised Land10. Cover Me11. No Surrender12. I’m On Fire13. My City Of Ruins14. High Hopes15. Because The Night16. Open All Night17. Shackled & Drawn18. Waitin’ On A Sunny Day19. Lonesome Day20. The Ghost of Tom Joad21. Badlands

- The Promised Land, Cover Me, No Surrender and I’m On Fire were crowd requests

Brucebase entry: 2013-03-18 – ALLPHONES ARENA, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:48 am

YDKM wrote::D I just got home from seeing Bruce's 2nd Show at the 17,400 capacity 'allphones arena' I would rate the show- as a 'show' 8/10 and here's why.... Bruce performed for approx 3 hours and ten minutes from 7.45pm-10.55pm. The sound lost him one point out of 10 because it was just loud and super EXCESSIVE-like the Bass had been turned up to maximum.It did improve during the show but i didn't like the bad sound at all for the first hour Bruce was 'unbelievable' hit after hit song + many requests taken as songs on paper from the audience-The saxophonist was superb and indeed a tribute to dead band members was given before his closing medley.The last 2 hours of the show was quite different many, MANY songs has unbelievably lengthy endings- like he didn't know when yo end a song?-whilst this was 'ok' once or twice on every song it kind of bored me-so he lost another point for that. However when you perform as long as he did i guess you need some kind of a way to mix band solos and stuff to last that long. He twice got right into the audience just as good as Elvis during 'love me tender' in 1970!~, jumped up on the piano , kept throwing his guitar behind him and played the mouth organ at least twice too. he covered the stage all he could, but a lot of the songs in the last 2 hours weren't really my kind of songs.A guy next to me spent most of the concert imitating Bruce just to impress his girlfriend (who was lapping it up) but it didn't impress me!~ a Guy behind me said Bruce only performed from 7.30-10.20pm on monday night and it was rumoured he had a cold. Wednesday he sounded 'fine'. he even mentioned 'another superb show coming up on Friday' -if you want to get tickets. The wednesday show wasn't a 'sell out' i estimate a 95% capacity crowd and i could easily see the empty seats.A little kid got to sing on stage with Bruce and later on a Woman dancing with him!~ Good show, but NOT a 'superb show' still at his age their is no-one else who can perform as long or as Energetically. HE IS in a class of his own.

Glad you liked the show. Bruce is the best. But ... it seems like you missed a lot. Were you late?

Bruce opened up with a solo acoustic song, playing "Devils & Dust," which he only does once in a blue moon. He also played not one, but four audience requests! The second song of the night, "Last To Die," was a tour debut, and both songs were obviously a scathing comment on the 10th anniversary of the (fake) Iraq War.

And "the last 2 hours" of the show included major hits and famous album cuts (from "Cover Me" to "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"). And these are not your kind of Springsteen songs?

01. Devils & Dust (solo acoustic)02. LAST TO DIE*03. The Ties That Bind04. Darkness On The Edge of Town05. Wrecking Ball06. Death To My Hometown07. Out In The Street08. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?09. The Promised Land10. Cover Me11. No Surrender12. I’m On Fire13. My City Of Ruins14. High Hopes15. Because The Night16. Open All Night17. Shackled & Drawn18. Waitin’ On A Sunny Day19. Lonesome Day20. The Ghost of Tom Joad21. Badlands

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:52 am

It's clear that you are not familiar with Springsteen, but still enjoyed the show. That's great. I don't want to pick your comments apart because your opinion is totally valid. However, I can't resist a few comments:

YDKM wrote:The saxophonist was superb

That is Jake Clemons, nephew of long-time E Street band member Clarence "Big Man" Clemons, who died in June 2011.

YDKM wrote:Its quite likely that the sound was so unbalanced deliberately to make anyone recording the show get a lousy recording!

No. It is just a function of your position in the arena. I went to four shows last year (same equipment and crew) and the sound from my spot was always very good. Some others at the same shows complained of poor sound. There are several excellent audience recordings from previous legs of this tour.

YDKM wrote: an excellent version of the Patty Smith song 'Because the night'

Springsteen wrote the original version of Because The Night. Patti Smith rewrote some of the lyrics and had a hit with the song.

YDKM wrote:Especially interesting was a newspaper photographer about 2m away from me....he did 100% EXACTLY what 90% of the newspaper reviewers in Elvis's time did. He was about 70m away from the stage and using a 'monopod' and extremely long lens!~in other words stay for FIRST 3 songs ONLY then leave!

The Springsteen management team only allow local press photographers to shoot the first 3 songs of the show. It wasn't his choice to leave.

YDKM wrote:i especially went to the 2nd show (foolishly thinking) that any sound problems would have been straightened out by his 2nd show in the same place-WRONG!~

The acoustics in sports arenas are notoriously poor for concerts.

BTW, I am really enjoying the clips from the Australian shows that are cropping up on YouTube. Here's Because The Night from Brisbane:

Last edited by ChrisM on Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 3:53 am

YDKM wrote:Its quite likely that the sound was so unbalanced deliberately to make anyone recording the show get a lousy recording!

I can tell you that this is absolutely false. The idea that Bruce would in any way request the sound be diminished, in order to frustrate audience taping, is ludicrous.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 4:53 am

I did see ALL the show - in fact all 3 hours and 12 minutes(according to a Bruce Forum!~)as i said in my first post"for the first hour Bruce was 'unbelievable' hit after hit song + many requests taken as songs on paper from the audience"i only moaned about the sound-to see if i would get a response and answer to why it wasn't so good for me... and Yes i truly did appreciate that first hour, the rare song, the requests performed etc.i agree that this (formally known as the ACER arena) 'allphones arena ' had sound issues problems and a very 'boomy' sound!~ this WAS a highlight in my life.... i cannot afford to go to many live shows because of the expensewhat made me laugh so much was all the idiots going backwards + forwards to the bars + of cource toilets drinking so much beer they missed a lot of the show!~ i missed nothing and (of cource ) i did record it all too!~ it was said that @ the monday show many people came in late and missed the 7.30pm start..... i wonder if that's why Bruce came on 15 minutes later last night?his sheer passion + energy and singing EVERYTHING completely from Memory is like a class in just HOW to be the best rock performer in the world at his age and time!~and Yes i was made 'aware' of the relationship of the current excellent Sax player and the previous one now sadly dead.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:00 am

Personal highlights for me were:- so for me about 1/3rd of the show was absolutely incredable!~ 2. LAST TO DIE*3. The Ties That Bind7. Out In The Street9. The Promised Land10. Cover Me12. I’m On Fire15. Because The Night Encore:23. Born To Run24. Bobby Jean25. Dancing In The Dark

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:01 am

YDKM wrote:and singing EVERYTHING completely from Memory

Nope. Springsteen has a teleprompter embedded in the stage at his feet. His crew is able to pull up lyrics as he switches the setlist or plays requests.

Here's The Ghost of Tom Joad from the show you attended, featuring Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, The Nightwatchman). He is sitting in for "Miami" Steve Van Zandt for the Australian shows.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Ah i didn't know he had a 'teleprompter!~' also i had wondered what had happened to Steve Van Zandt-thanks for the info!~

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:50 am

YDKM wrote:Personal highlights for me were:- so for me about 1/3rd of the show was absolutely incredable!~ 2. LAST TO DIE*3. The Ties That Bind7. Out In The Street9. The Promised Land10. Cover Me12. I’m On Fire15. Because The Night Encore:23. Born To Run24. Bobby Jean25. Dancing In The Dark

Ah. I actually like a LOT of the work Bruce has produced since 1984.

And I am happy he is not a "greatest hits" machine like the Rolling Stones, or Kiss, where the only thing new at one of their concerts is the t-shirt design at the concession booths.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 5:57 am

Bruce is the best!

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:10 am

drjohncarpenter wrote:

YDKM wrote::D I just got home from seeing Bruce's 2nd Show at the 17,400 capacity 'allphones arena' I would rate the show- as a 'show' 8/10 and here's why.... Bruce performed for approx 3 hours and ten minutes from 7.45pm-10.55pm. The sound lost him one point out of 10 because it was just loud and super EXCESSIVE-like the Bass had been turned up to maximum.It did improve during the show but i didn't like the bad sound at all for the first hour Bruce was 'unbelievable' hit after hit song + many requests taken as songs on paper from the audience-The saxophonist was superb and indeed a tribute to dead band members was given before his closing medley.The last 2 hours of the show was quite different many, MANY songs has unbelievably lengthy endings- like he didn't know when yo end a song?-whilst this was 'ok' once or twice on every song it kind of bored me-so he lost another point for that. However when you perform as long as he did i guess you need some kind of a way to mix band solos and stuff to last that long. He twice got right into the audience just as good as Elvis during 'love me tender' in 1970!~, jumped up on the piano , kept throwing his guitar behind him and played the mouth organ at least twice too. he covered the stage all he could, but a lot of the songs in the last 2 hours weren't really my kind of songs.A guy next to me spent most of the concert imitating Bruce just to impress his girlfriend (who was lapping it up) but it didn't impress me!~ a Guy behind me said Bruce only performed from 7.30-10.20pm on monday night and it was rumoured he had a cold. Wednesday he sounded 'fine'. he even mentioned 'another superb show coming up on Friday' -if you want to get tickets. The wednesday show wasn't a 'sell out' i estimate a 95% capacity crowd and i could easily see the empty seats.A little kid got to sing on stage with Bruce and later on a Woman dancing with him!~ Good show, but NOT a 'superb show' still at his age their is no-one else who can perform as long or as Energetically. HE IS in a class of his own.

Glad you liked the show. Bruce is the best. But ... it seems like you missed a lot. Were you late?

Bruce opened up with a solo acoustic song, playing "Devils & Dust," which he only does once in a blue moon. He also played not one, but four audience requests! The second song of the night, "Last To Die," was a tour debut, and both songs were obviously a scathing comment on the 10th anniversary of the (fake) Iraq War.

And "the last 2 hours" of the show included major hits and famous album cuts (from "Cover Me" to "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"). And these are not your kind of Springsteen songs?

01. Devils & Dust (solo acoustic)02. LAST TO DIE*03. The Ties That Bind04. Darkness On The Edge of Town05. Wrecking Ball06. Death To My Hometown07. Out In The Street08. Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?09. The Promised Land10. Cover Me11. No Surrender12. I’m On Fire13. My City Of Ruins14. High Hopes15. Because The Night16. Open All Night17. Shackled & Drawn18. Waitin’ On A Sunny Day19. Lonesome Day20. The Ghost of Tom Joad21. Badlands

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Of all the current touring acts, I'd say Paul McCartney is without question the best!!!!!

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 8:32 am

ian wrote:

paulsweeney wrote:Bruce is the best!

Of all the current touring acts, I'd say Paul McCartney is without question the best!!!!!

That's Bullcrap. Macca hardly has any voice left, certainly 0 compared to an enduring live performer such as Bruce Springsteen.

Re: Bruce Springstein in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:57 am

Robt wrote:

houndog wrote:You been to see him but you dont know how to spell his name S-P-R-I-N-G-S-T-E-E-N

Big Deal

Elvis PreslyAlvis PressleyElvis Presely

Re: Bruce Springstein in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:37 am

Matthew wrote:

Robt wrote:

houndog wrote:You been to see him but you dont know how to spell his name S-P-R-I-N-G-S-T-E-E-N

Big Deal

Elvis PreslyAlvis PressleyElvis Presely

Elvis Aaron Presley Hahahahahaha

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 2:45 pm

Springsteens voice seemed just the same as ever-narrow range but STRONG!~

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:00 pm

YDKM wrote::D I just got home from seeing Bruce's 2nd Show at the 17,400 capacity 'allphones arena' I would rate the show- as a 'show' 8/10 and here's why.... Bruce performed for approx 3 hours and ten minutes from 7.45pm-10.55pm. The sound lost him one point out of 10 because it was just loud and super EXCESSIVE-like the Bass had been turned up to maximum.It did improve during the show but i didn't like the bad sound at all for the first hour Bruce was 'unbelievable' hit after hit song + many requests taken as songs on paper from the audience-The saxophonist was superb and indeed a tribute to dead band members was given before his closing medley.The last 2 hours of the show was quite different many, MANY songs has unbelievably lengthy endings- like he didn't know when yo end a song?-whilst this was 'ok' once or twice on every song it kind of bored me-so he lost another point for that. However when you perform as long as he did i guess you need some kind of a way to mix band solos and stuff to last that long. He twice got right into the audience just as good as Elvis during 'love me tender' in 1970!~, jumped up on the piano , kept throwing his guitar behind him and played the mouth organ at least twice too. he covered the stage all he could, but a lot of the songs in the last 2 hours weren't really my kind of songs.A guy next to me spent most of the concert imitating Bruce just to impress his girlfriend (who was lapping it up) but it didn't impress me!~ a Guy behind me said Bruce only performed from 7.30-10.20pm on monday night and it was rumoured he had a cold. Wednesday he sounded 'fine'. he even mentioned 'another superb show coming up on Friday' -if you want to get tickets. The wednesday show wasn't a 'sell out' i estimate a 95% capacity crowd and i could easily see the empty seats.A little kid got to sing on stage with Bruce and later on a Woman dancing with him!~ Good show, but NOT a 'superb show' still at his age their is no-one else who can perform as long or as Energetically. HE IS in a class of his own.

Thanks for sharing - lots of description and I enjoyed reading it. You clearly had a great evening.

Re: Bruce Springsteen in Sydney!~

Thu Mar 21, 2013 6:11 pm

YDKM wrote:Its quite likely that the sound was so unbalanced deliberately to make anyone recording the show get a lousy recording!